smeary
UK[ˈsmɪəri]US[ˈsmɪri]
adj
covered with or having the nature of a smudge or smear; marked by streaks or smudges.
adj
tending to smear or soil easily.
Morpheme Breakdown
smear
y
smear
to spread a substance
y
adjective suffix
Etymology
the word 'smeary' is a straightforward english formation, combining the old english root for grease or fat with a common adjectival suffix. the old english verb 'smerian' and noun 'smeru' (grease) originate from the proto-germanic 'smerwą', which itself derives from the proto-indo-European root 'smeru-', meaning grease or fat. this root reflects the physical property of such substances to spread and coat surfaces. by adding the productive suffix '-y', the word 'smeary' was created to describe anything characterized by or prone to the action of smearing, evolving from the literal sense of being greasy to the more general modern sense of being streaked, smudged, or easily marked.
Analysis
Structure: smear (to spread a substance) + y (adjective suffix)
smear (from old english 'smerian', 'smeru' meaning grease, fat; the verb form meaning to daub or spread); y (from old english '-ig', an adjective-forming suffix meaning 'characterized by' or 'full of').
Examples
the child's face was smeary with chocolate and jam.
avoid using that cheap ink; it's very smeary and will blot.
the artist intentionally created a smeary effect with the wet paint.